Game apparatus



Jan. 26,1926. 1,510,315-

' W. R. CARTEE GAME APPARATUS Filed August 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Shut 1 INVENTOR .1, wax. K

Jan. 26 1926.

w. R. CARTEE GAME APPARATUS Filed August 26, 1924 INVENTOR 1&1, K- W" Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM R. CARTEE, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed August 26, 1924. Serial No. 734,233.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM It. CARTEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Guyahoga,

State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a game apparatus, and is particularly directed toward an improved game simulatingthe game of baseball. V

I provide a game appai'attiswvliei'eiii a ball throwing means is provided for one player and a batting means is provided for another player. The ball throwing means is movable so that the ball may be directed by the player as desired, and it is also possible to throw a curve ball if desired.

The batting means is operable by the other player so that a large'amount of skill may be employed by the players, in which respect the game differs radically from others wherein the element of chance is far more important. To facilitate playing of the game I further provide a signal for indicating when the ball has been pitched over the home plate or when the batter makes a strike.

The game is played on a board representing a ball field and is divided into areas in which markers indicating players may be moved in varying ways. With my improved game a large number of the plays in the regular game may be simulated, the players may be played in varying positions on the field, and in many other respects carry out the strategy of the national pastime. p

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred apparatus for playing my baseball game,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game board embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the batting means, 7

Figures 4 and 5 are top and end views, respectively, of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a section through the home plate taken on a line through home plate and second base, t

Figure 7is a vertical section on the line VIIV II of Figure 6, c

'Figure 8 is a perspective view of the pitching means,

Figure 9 is a section through the ball which is preferably used, and

Figure 10 is a section on the line XX of Figure 9.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention there is shown a game board 2 ,marked off to represent an in-field 3 and out-field 4. A batting means, indicated generally by the reference character 5, is placed at the corner of the board behind home plate and at the diagonally opposite corner of the board is provided a pitching means, indicated generally by the reference character 6. The various bases 7 are provided to simulate a regulation baseball.

diamond and the board is further divided into areas, as hereinafter described.

The out-field has marked thereon areas 8 bounded by curved lines 9 dividing such areas from the remainder of the out-field.

permanent as with the out-field, and the in- V.

field players may be conveniently represented by disks 12 of any suitable material. Only one such in-field player is shown in the drawings, but it will be understood that tions indicated bycrosses 13, but are movable at the option of the player. No short stop is used. 1 i V The pitching apparatus consists of a standard 14: secured to the corner of the board remote from home plate and having rotatably. mounted thereon a rod 15. Mounted onthe rod 15is a slide16 having a lug 17 and a plate 18 adapted to engage the ball and a grip or finger piece 19 1for the convenience of the operator. The slide is normally urged in a direction toward home plate by a spring 20 so that when the opere .ator slides it back and releases it it is effecthree are used. They normally occupy positive for throwing the ball toward the batting position.

The ball is shown in detail in Figures 9 and 10. It consists of aprincipal body 21 of rubber or other suitable material having a slot 22 cut therein for cooperative engagement with the lug 17. The ball is eccentrically weighted by a heavy insert 23 which is preferably on an axis at right angles to the axis of the slot 22. lVhen the ball is placed on the slide 16 and thrown toward home plate it is rotated by the throw on the axis CL-(I, until the eccentric weight 23 turns the ball out Of line and imparts a curve to the ball. The ball may be suitably directed by turning the rod 15 and the curve may be made one way or the other by reversing the position of the ball on the slide 16.

At home plate there is provided an up standing pivoted member 2% having mounted thereon a bell 25, as clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7. If the fielding player pitches a ball across the plate the member 24: is deflected, ringing the bell and indicating a strike. Back of home plate a loose net 26 is provided for catching the ball if it goes past the home plate without being hit. This net extends from the corner 27 to posts 28, the remainder of the board being surrounded by a ledge 29 which prevents the ball from rolling off the field.

The battery means is shown in detail in Figure 3. It comprises a fixed post 30 having a slotted rod 31 pivotally mounted thereon. Stops 32 are provided for limiting the movement of the rod 31. A slotted collar is slidably mounted upon the rod 31 and is retained thereon by a pin 34;. A bat 35 lies below the rod 31 and has a section 36 extending upwardly through the collar 33 and the slot 37 in the rod 31. On the upper end of the portion 36 there is provided a finger piece 38. In assembling the apparatus the portion 36 is slipped into the slot of the collar. 83 as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 4:. and 5, and is then slipped over the end of the rod. 31, after which the pin 84 is inserted to hold the apparatus in place. It will be seen that the bat may be moved from side to side, rotated about its own axis and slid forwardly and backwar'dly on the rod 31 at the pleasure of the player. lVhen a ball is pitched by the fielding player the batting player so operates the bat as to best serve his purpose. It will be apparent that considerable skill may be injected into the game by reason of the apparatus thus provided. The bat 35 projects downwardly a sufficient distance to engage the member 2 1 so that, even though the ball does not cross the plate, if the batting player strikes at the ball the bell 25 will ring and indicate a strike.

The game is played as follows:

The ball is pitched and batted as above described, landing within one of the areas marked out on the playing field. A ball landing in an area 8 is a fiy-out but if it lands in any other portion of the out-field it must be played. All balls landing in the infield are ground balls and must be played. The batter has the first move and requires three moves to get from one base to the next. Squares 40 along the base line indicate these moves. The batter gets the first move and immediately goes to square No. 1. An infielder is charged with one move for each line he must cross in order to field the ball and an additional move for a throw. Since batters and base runners always have the first move it follows that if a fielder must cross more than one line in order to field the ball the batter is safe. lVith the fielders in the normal positions indicated by crosses 13 the only safe infield territory is the areas ll and 4.2. As stated, however, the in-fielders would become safe territory. With men on bases one or all of the in-fielders may be played on the bases, thus anticipating moves on the part of the batter and imparting strategy into the game.

If the ball goes into fiy-out territory the batter is out but runners on the bases may still advance, the number of moves required to get the ball to any base being indicated in the areas 8. As shown in the drawings, if the ball lands in safe territory in the outfield, that is to say, the territory other than the areas 8, the fielding side may be charged with a move for crossing a line 9 and also for a move over any ofthe various lines on the field in passing a ball to a base. The lines may be conveniently made of different colors in order to aid in this. The infielders are notallowed to play in the outfield, nor are out-fielders permitted on the in-field. lVith men on bases one. or all of them may be played oil the bag to advance tion. According to the preferred manner of l playing the game a runner may be placed on the square 40 to advance when the ball is hit on the theory that he starts for. second base with the pitched ball. The rule is that he must make at least one move forward whatever the result of the hit may be. Forced back, he requires three moves to regain first base. The hazards of this play for the batting side are that the runner may be thrown out if a fly is caught in any territory requiring less than three moves for a throw to first base. Further, he loses his chance to advance on a fly-caught ball in territory where the throw to the desired base is three moves.

Being on the base lines EEO he is out if he is hit by a batted ball. In order to make the last mentionedplay possible the runners are preferably represented by small figures 4 f weighted atthe bottom to stand upright, as indicated in Figure 2.

Theadvantages of this play to the bat ting side are as follows: The runner is entitled to one more base than the batter on any hit. He makes it desirable for the second baseman to cover the base, thus increasing the safe in-field territory, and, having but two moves will get to the next base and can be sacrified there on an out. Double plays are possible, as will be apparent. I thus provide a baseball game wherein the strategy of the national pastime 1s simulated in many respects, and wherein the skill of the persons playing the game becomes an important factor. WVhile I have shown the preferred form of my improve-d game, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field, a ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another layer, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of moves to go from one station to another, the field being divided into areas into which the ball may be batted and requiring varying numbers of moves to advance the ball from such area to the safety station, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field, a ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another player, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of moves to go from one safety station to another, the field being divided by lines, it requiring a move in advancing the ball from its batted position to a safety station for the ball to cross a line, substantially as described. I

3. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field, aball, aball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another layer, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of moves to go from one safety station to another, the field being divided by lines, it requiring a move in advancing the ball from its batted position to a safety station for the ball to cross a line, the field also having marks to represent fielding players positioned in the field, it requiring an additional move to cross a line in shifting a fielding player to the batted position of the ball i e ding the b.2111, substantially as de scribed 7 4. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field, aball,-aball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adaptcd'to be operated by another player, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of moves to go from one safety station to another, the field beingdivided by lines, it requiring a move in advancing the ball from its batted position to a safety station for the ball'to cross a line, the field also having marks to represent fielding players positioned in the field, it requiring an additional move to cross a line in shifting afielding player to the batted position of the ball in fielding the ball, at least one of said marks being on one of said lines, substantially as described.

5. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field representing a baseball field having an in-field and an out-field, a. ball, a ball throwing means adapted to be operated by one player, and a batting means adapted to be operated by another player, the outfield being divided into safe areas and unsafe areas, there being representations of fixed fielding positions of the fielding players in the unsafe areas, the infield being divided into areas and movable markers I representing in-field fielding players, substantially as described.

6. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field representing a baseball field having an iii-field and an out-fieml, a ball, a ball throwing means adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another player, the out-field being divided into safe areas and unsafe areas, there being representations of fixed fielding positions of the fielding play ers in the unsafe areas, the iii-field being divided into areas and movable markers rcpresenting iii-field fielding players, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter iequiring a desired number of moves to go from one safety station to another, it also requiring a move in advancing the ball from its batted position to a safety station for the ball to cross a line, it also requiring a move to cross a line in shifting a fielding player to the batted position of the ball in fielding the ball, substantially as described.

7. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field representing a baseball field having an in-field and an out-field, a ball, a ball throwing means adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another player, the out-field being divided into safe areas and unsafe areas, there being representations of fixed fielding positions of the fielding players in the unsafe areas, the in-field being divided into areas and movablemarkers representing in-field fielding players, and base paths having indicia showing the number of moves required for a base running player to move from base to base, substantially as described.

8. A game apparatus, comprising a play ing field, a ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another player and movable at his will, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of nroves to go from one safety station to another, the lield being divided into areas into which the ball ball may be batted and requiring varying numbers of moves to advance the ball from such area to the safety station, substantially as described.

9. A game apparatus, con'iprising a playing field, a ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, a batting means adapted to be operated by another player and directable at his will, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of moves to go from one safety station to another, the field being divided into areas into which the ball may be batted and requiring varying numbers of moves to advance the ball from such area to the safety station, substantially as described.

10. A game apparatus, comprising a playing field, a ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player and movable at his will, a batting means adapted to be operated by another player and directable at his Will, and safety stations on the playing field for the batter requiring a desired number of moves to go from one safety station to another, the field being divided into areas into which the ball may be batted and requiring varying numbers of moves to advance the ball from such area to the safety station, substantially as described.

11. A baseball game, comprising a playing field having a home plate, a batting device adjacent thereto and n'tovable in various paths at the will of a player, and means for indicating a strike when the batting device is moved over the home plate, substantially as described.

12. A baseball game, comprising a playing field having a home plate, a pitching device directable at the will of a player, a batting device adjacent the home plate and movable in various paths at the will of a player, and means for indicating a strike when the ball is pitched over the home plate or when the bat is moved thereover, substantially as described.

13. A baseball game, comprising a playing field having a home plate, an eccentrically loaded ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by one player, and means for indicating a strike when the ball is pitched over the home plate, substantially as described.

14. A baseball game, comprising a playing field having a home plate, an eccentrically loaded ball, a ball throwing device adapted to be operated by a player and directable at his will, and means for indicating a strike when the ball is thrown over the home plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

VILLIAM R. CARTEE. 

